Qantas announces Jetstar Japan flights and new lounges

Qantas, Group along with Mitsubishi and JAL have announced that they would launch Jetstar Japan by the end of 2012. The airline would serve domestic destinations including Tokyo and Osaka and other destinations such as Fukuoka, Okinawa and Sapporo.

Jetstar would initially operate through three new A320s on the main route- Tokyo and Osaka. The aircraft would be configured with 180 seats in a single class and would grow to 24 aircrafts within the first few operational years. 

Ultimately the newly formed airline would look to expand its flight services to short haul international destinations, primarily Asian cities. Qantas Group is long known for serving the Japanese air travel market.

Before this merger of sorts, Jetstar was the first low fares airline to enter Japan in 2007. It has carried more than two million customers between Japan and Australia.

Qantas also announced that it would invest around $400 million in developing international lounges in Los Angeles and ramp up its in-flight entertainment facilities.